OOOH. Susan - I'm in on this polenta experiment with you.
You just gave me an idea.
I was thinking about tamales. I was thinking about tamales right when I read your post with the word "polenta" and a part of an imaginary head-lightbulb lit up.
Polenta is Italian, and Tamales are Latin American, but they have that similar flavor, and polenta is made with a lot less fat. But why should polenta be reserved for Italian flavors? I am now thinking a Mexican themed sauce over a corn-based thing that is made more like polenta than like a tamale.
I'd be happy to compare kitchen lab books with you!
jo
One of my favorite super-diet meals (practically no calories) is a giant veggie ratatouille served over polenta. I don't remember exactly how I made the polenta; I think I cooked it stove-top and then let it set in a brownie pan, and maybe baked it. It's a delicious dinner.
I made mine stovetop. It got very thick. Ds#2 (20 yo) stirred it for the last few minutes. I need to get a big wooden spoon and a stepstool!
I patted it into an 8x10 container. In just a few minutes of cooling it was a nice firm texture.
I fried it in a nonstick pan with a bit of olive oil. I enjoyed it plain but agree with my fella's that some sauce would be good.
As with almost everything I think of these days ... I googled.
I poured cornmeal slooooowly into boiling water and stirred and stirred and stirred. There are fancier recipes but I wanted low fat. Sometime after I see how long it takes to eat this batch, I may try egg whites in it somehow and look for different cornmeals.
Like Soulblisss indicates, the possibilities are almost endless.
In the winter when the house is cooler, I think it'd be great to make smaller batches of flavoured polenta in the oven. I often have it on for meat or sweetpotatoes or a casserole anyway.
Hmmm, Nelie, I'd be skeptical of the no-stir method. I've found tha cornmeal always needs stirring. Susan, don't be afraid to add more hot water to thin it a little. It'll still firm up as it cools. My very favorite cornmeal dish is spoonbread, but it involves a lot of eggs and butter My DH will eat cooked cornmeal, thinner than for polenta, as a hot cereal. Of course, he adds molasses or maple syrup.....
Oh I really like Polenta. I usually make mine like Cornmeal Mush. We'd slice it up, fry in a wee bit of butter or olive oil then top with maple syrup. Ok not the healthiest w/the butter and syrup but if I'd make it now I'd probably use the lite kind. I've always wanted to try it w/the marinara etc. but DH is not a Polenta fan so I hate to just make for myself. I may in the future though just make a smaller batch. Thanks for starting this thread!